12th December 2016

THRILLER COURSEWORK: Planning Phase 4

12th December 2016

First Go at Editing

Seeing that there were so many takes of just me laughing, I saw potential to create a 'blooper reel' for the giggles, and also to further boost my understanding of premiere pro. This will help me communicate easier to editors in future projects as director- with the correct terminology and clear idea of the program, I can get paint out my vision in a much clearer manner.

I imported license free music and tried to match it with the video. For example, the beginning shot to where I clap on the exact moment the song starts- just to add professionalism and something more orientated than random placements. I also used the pen tool to create points to lower or increase depending on the meaning needed at the time (to hear better, or to overdub the silence). I also used some video transitions like 'fade to black', and increased the time to took, so it became slower to seem smoother as a transition. I also learnt how to use warp stabilizer (the second last shot in the video with the shot of the clock tower and car coming in), and the fact that pressing save was a great plan to often visit. More to this, I learnt more about rendering, and what it meant when red or green bars are hovering above clips in the timeline.

The overview of my timeline, preview, and work space
combining to create at least 2 minutes of chosen footage.

During the process of editing- choosing the right footage at the right time.

A close up to the clips and audio that make up the Blooper Reel.

During the process of exporting, learnt to choose a
H.264 format for the video platform.

Rendering - Exporting process.



---

---

11th December 2016

THRILLER COURSEWORK: Mood Board

8th December 2016

THRILLER COURSEWORK: Planning Phase 3

I had a great idea today during English lesson, so I noted it down. I saw the theme of contrast essential to highlight and use as a recurring motif throughout the opening. For example, the contrast between the calm, greyscale and plain composition in the interrogation room, to be different to the orange-red, dim, and claustrophobic composition in the victim's point of view, that is told using a flashback. This conveys a message to the audience of how evil the suspect may be, proven by the victim's composition, but rather how cold and calculating he is to be in such a calm enviroment and mannerism- almost like Hannibal Lecter's dry and neat cell.

7th December 2016

THRILLER COURSEWORK: Planning Phase 2

In today's lesson, Ryu and I worked on the research and briefly the pre-visualisation phases. I noted down our thoughts on the researching stage, to which we used The Silence of the Lambs as a comparison.

Ryu had worked on the pre-visualisation stage, to which he had created a mood board of the themes that surround our first draft of plot. He had also chosen some music that is license free from a japanese cartoon detective series. The music seems prospective to this project.

6th December 2016

THRILLER COURSEWORK: Planning Phase

Today is the day we get to decide our coursework members, and I chose to work in a pair with Ryu. We had previously worked in the 1-minute film project and I really enjoyed working with him. He allows me to take the lead and most of work on set: acting, choreography, shots, movements...etc, while also adding in ideas so it is a joint decision. In turn, I give him the lead in post-production, but any things that catch me or inspire a better way to organize, I will suggest to him.

I think we will work well together.

This project is very prospective and challenging, but not impossible and unreachable.

4th December 2016

Harrow Bangkok's "45 sec Car Parking" Infomercial

In the past week, Harrow Bangkok has asked if I, along with a team, could produce a short video that outlines and informs the parents and drivers on ways to ease the traffic in the morning and afternoon at the campus when children are being dropped off or picked-up from school. We decided to come in on a Sunday from 11AM to 2:30PM and planned to complete all shots needed. 

We had devised shots of myself speaking and informing the audiences, along with another set of shots of a car for the correct demonstration on the methods. As this project demanded so much context and message within such a short time constraint, we decided to story board nearly all the shots. Personally this is new for me, as mentioned in the post below where I only story board the major scenes. With this project however, I found the story board very useful- so in the future, I may use this technique for scenes with much context within a short sequence.

_________________________________________________________________________________

3rd December 2016

Thriller Sub Genre "Film Noir" Project: The Film

After much planning and researching, we finally came up with a short film about two detectives working on a crime, based on the Film Noir genre. Things that can be noticed is the accent put on, which is stereotypical and conventional of a 1960s film noir detective. Expected terminology from that period such as "gal" and "dame" were also used, as it thickens the role of the period in the film. Also, contemporary shots were mixed into the film, such as the low-canted shot from the fences, when both detectives are seen staring at the victim's body. More idealistic shots were the tracking shots behind Jonnie the Rookie, and the still shots of the authority at the crime scene.

This production was directed and filmed by me, which was based of the visions I had in my head. Saimink, the producer and the victim, helped story-board my ideas out so we did not forget them. Personally, I only used story boarding for scenes with interesting camera shots or packed with movements, to prevent us from remembering. On site of production, I ran dry-runs and blocked entrances and movements of the actors. Within post-production, Saimink and I took some time to put together the clips with music, and attempted to create a flashback sequence near the end of the film- where the Detective figures out the Jonnie was the killer. Overall, I would say this helped improved my editing skills majorly, as this was the first time I edited a film on Premier without constant support from a teacher.

1st December 2016

Thriller Sub Genre "Film Noir" Project: The Plot

Before we started production and incorporating shots and Micro-elements, I decided to take the group off the actual film, and positions themselves away from all the springing and blossoming ideas. Once we were out of the picture, we started to think broadly of the plot of the film. I deiced to focus on a plot so that we won't go off track the story, but it also does not limit us to any interpretation of the micro-elements to create our desired meaning. We also did some story boarding to create visual aids that will help us understand and remind us while on set.

27th November 2016

Clip Analysis: The Silence of the Lambs

In the trailer of The Silence of the Lambs, how do the Micro-elements combine to create meaning and build tension?

In the clip of "The Silence of the Lambs", the trailer effectively builds intensity due to the recurring use of quick changes of close-up shots, with some scary or uncomfortable sounds to accompany it. Take for example the opening seconds with the ORION logo where Lecter's big close-up shot suddenly appears and vanishes shortly. The scary stare he gives towards the camera directly may intimidate the audience and make them feel uncomfortable. Also, the shot appears very quickly with a sharp "stick hitting a metal" sound effect that scares and gets the audiences' attention. This may implant the picture of Lecter into their minds within 2 seconds into the trailer without any information whatsoever.

Once again, the big-close up of the Detective and Barny the prison manager makes the experience more personal. After the shock the audience received in the opening seconds, the use of the close-ups and speaking directly to the camera would make the dialogue more important and believable, this would achieve the audiences to be in the position of the victim without knowing what will happen beforehand. This builds anticipation and curiosity that eventually shapes into tension, with the non-diegetic sound of the cello playing a sustained and unchanging note since the start, this accentuates the idea of nothing changing but the sense of something coming.

The contrast shown when agent Clarice Starling speaks back to the detective to how she is "not yet" spooked out by Lecter, is overflown into a following shot with a quick cut of Barny closing a metal bar gate, locking Starling into the long corridor where Lecter awaits her. The diegetic sound of the door once again creates that similar to the ones in the opening close-up shots of Hannibal. This reminds the audience of Lecter, and they may recall his spooky and haunting look that is implanted in their minds by the Micro-elements of sudden shot change and unusual sounds. Having Starling now behind bars and only a few feet away from Lecter provides the tension and startles the audience even more. Cleverly, the jail bars cover Starling's body and the camera positions her to the left- almost out of the frame. This may hint the meaning of her sense of being trapped and how the audience can't save her. The somewhat awkward positioning may also symbolize how she does not have stability and control in this situation. Upon this factor, the intensity would be doubled by the fear and worry of what's to come.

When Barny advises Starling as she gets ready to confront Lecter, he tells her to "not worry" and that he'll "be watching". Ironically, the audience is conventionally supposed to be in Barny's role to watch what will happen to Clarice and to ultimately feel somewhat secure. The irony thickens and intensity doubles as the shot changes to Starling's point of view angle, with Barny, once again, talking directly to the (camera) audience behind metal bars in center position and brighter lighting to symbolize higher security and stability; of which Starling does not yet have. 

Once the gate doors open, the non-diegetic sound effect of a chime plays with the gate's movement. This leaves Starling exposed to the danger. Questionably, the sound of the chimes are somewhat ambitious, so it may paint further suspicion and insecurity that the audiences are trying to reach. The voice-over of a narrator with a low and serious timbre grows the mood of uncertainty even more, added with the short sentence of "A killer is on the loose".

The following sequence of when the detective describes the killer of how "he shoots them, skins them, and dumps them" is accompanied by quick shots of a man doing what a woman would do at a dressing table. The rule of three is effectively used here, as each time the detective says what he did, it is interrupted by a quick extreme close-up shot with eerie and sudden noises similar to that of Lecter's in the opening.

Upon Lecter's first full-body appearance in his glass cell, the Mise-En scene of a dead-looking blue suit and a brick wall creates the composition that contrasts to what is conventionally perceived to be a messy, bloody and dirty serial killer. The calm and focused stare he gives at the camera with his lack of colour may hint meaning of a cold and calculating psychopath. The wrong misconception of what Lecter would have looked like may have proven audiences wrong to the control they think they have- Hannibal Lecter is not predictable. This increases the insecurity and may make audiences feel uncomfortable. Another quick shot is used in a "call-response" manner as Lecter takes a first look at agent Starling arriving, that suddenly cuts to an edited shot of Hannibal's ghastly stare with red moving lines and painful noises, before even speaking a word. The detective's late words in a mid-close up shot of "Believe me, you don't want Hannibal Lecter in your head", after the red shot that symbolizes Hannibal "getting into the audiences' heads" just by staring may provoke the tension further. This may also hint and prove to how Hannibal is calculative, as he is a step ahead of the police- to get into a person's mind even before the detective warns the audiences, in vain. This may also create the meaning to associate Hannibal with the devil, as the devil is assumed to be calm, cold and calculating, just like Hannibal. The excessive use of the colour red in the "getting into the head" shot may also conotate not only blood, but demons.

In addition, the shots to where Lecter is seen inside a different cell reading a book, shapes the fear and intensity onto the audience as paranoia and the thought of being watched. The first shot of a mid-close up sees Lecter swiveling from his chair with a book in his hand to face the camera, followed by another mid-close up, now without the book, sitting up straight, and focused onto the camera with his deadly stare. Then, the last shot sees Lecter now standing with one hand against the metal bars, almost like tying to get out of the cage to meet the audience. This time the camera is within a tracking shot, desperately moving backwards from Lecter and his cage. However, a shot of an extreme-close up of Lecter's stare and disturbing facial expressions spawns suddenly. The use of the non-diegetic metal sound effect is used to give this surprise more of a jab to it, therefore increasing the aftermath that comes with this jump-scare. Within the duration of this sequence of shots, the non-diegetic sound of a violin is heard playing a high and unchanging note, that hints and gradually builds the mood of suspense and uncertainty. It breaks the moment Lecter's jump scare shot appears. The meaning created is to show how Lecter will always get to you, no matter which angle or how far you are.

Following this, a scene with a psychologist stating how it is "rare to capture one alive"- the reference of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, who is a renowned psychiatrist charged for murder. This not only confirms to the audience of his unpredictable and calculative moves, but are also given the meaning of how Lecter is very mentally dangerous, too. This is achieved by the words of the psychologists stating "pure psychopath". These two words are heard clearly and isolated to imprint the piling and collective thoughts the audiences are trying to grasp of who and what Lecter could be.

The sudden change of mood takes place exactly when Lecter handcuffs an officer and kills him, which is hinted by his haunting scream. This shot works effectively well as for the whole trailer the audience have been exposed to Lecter in only subtle and calm states, rather than witnessing him physically active or committing a crime yet. The shots of a white bag that seems to be carrying a dead body that follows a shot of Lecter himself, associates death and him. This thickens the evilness of Hannibal as a serial killer and gets the audiences more terrified by what he is truly capable of, therefore more power is given to Lecter that compliments his sudden and unpredictable ways of when he strikes. To add to this, a scene cuts to a policeman holding a gun in an alarming state, and notifying the others that "Lecter is missing and armed" gives more power to Hannibal. This again reinforces the idea earlier of how Lecter is always a step ahead, and possibly able to read their minds when he "enters their heads".

Later, a POV shot is used of a man's arm reaching towards a blinded Starling in the dark, gives the ambitious mood the reach of a shocking and unresolved climax. This alongside Lecter's stare that is quickly edited to interfere the POV shot every milli-second accentuates tension of Lecter coming closer to the audience.

At the peak and loudest of the music and trailer, the title screen appears with only the word silence on it. This is followed by an extreme close-up shot of Dr. Lecter staring into the camera with no music or movement, and repeats the phrase "Thank you, Clarice". The gradual and messy build-up to an anticipated and desperate "boom" at the climax is instead the doctor himself, in silence. This once again proves the meaning of how the doctor is unpredictable and this reinstates his calculative skills. Also interestingly, the trailer starts with Lecter in an interrupted and sudden way, whereas the ending also ends with him, but in a calm and quiet way. This may hint to how he is in control and haunting- there is no escape from him once he's "in your head".

25th November 2016

SHORT FILM: Stationary War

My close friend, Pun, and I made a short film many years ago. The plot revolves around two students who, while spending their time in detention, encounter a conflict with some angry stationary that results into utter war. 

I am looking back to how our shots and effects of the Micro-elements built tension, which will be useful to apply to my upcoming project of the "Film Noir Sub Genre Film Project".

22nd November 2016

Why do we watch scary films?

DOLF ZILLMAN

Excitation- transfer theory

By experiencing negative and scary imagery we intensify the positive feelings when the negative is finally removed.

_________________________________________________________________________________

For films to be scary...?

Glen D. Walters

1) Tension and Suspense

Narrative, use of Micro Elements-

manipulation of information

2) Relevance

The fears explored by the audience have to be relevant to the audience themselves- to have to believe the things shown

3) Unrealism 

We have to know its not real- we have to feel safe at the same level

21st November 2016

Conventional Credits Sequence

We studied the conventional structure of the opening credits of a film. "Panic Room (2002)" used very interesting typography in many dramatically accentuated cinematic shots of an urban city- presumably New York.

1. Company and Studio Production Logos
2. Leading and main stars
3. The title of the film
4. Co-stars
5. Casting Director
6. Costume Designer
7. Music Composer
8. Film Editors
9. Production Designer
10. Cinematographer (Director of Photography)
11. Producers
12. Writer
13. Director

17th November 2016

Editing a short film's behind the scenes

During the summer, my friends and I had a prospective short film planned and in production for a 2 minute horror, that depicts a game of "Hide and Seek" gone wrong for two sisters. After a day of filming, I decided to pick together some footage I took and edited it in one sitting on iMovie iOS. Of course, it doesn't come anywhere close to Final Cut Pro. However, it was a refreshing experience for me to refresh my editing skills nevertheless.

17th November 2016

Audience Segmentation

Segmentation means to break up audiences into different groupings

The aim of audience segmentation is to get mass audiences and understand each individual little groups that they belong in as people. This will develop their understanding and improve their goal of reaching out to the right and appropriate target audience. The groups can be based on the following...

• Gender
• Age
• Lifestyle
• Ethnicity
• Race
• Religion
• Income
• Interests
• Social Class
• Personality
• Language
• Nationality
• Musical Taste
• Culture

16th November 2016

Zodiac: The Recreations

After some work on the analysis of the film and its conventions, it was time to start looking into detail of the composition and each types of shots used. A perfect scene to recreate and study was the scene when the suspect met with the detectives. Below are the recreations edited, produced, and shot by Ryu, and directed by myself.

The Long shot of three detectives onto the
single suspect on the other end of the rounded table

An interested detective in a blue jacket behind a
machine labelled Hot Foods

The bald detective acknowledges the action
of  the suspect taking power by raising his foot to
block the detectives hand

The detective studying a watch labelled Zodiac, given
from the suspect as an item he possessed at the time

Three detectives seen clueless and stuck within a train of thought that is symbolically presented by the display
of a "wall" that constricts their investigation to go further, due to no new ideas or clues

Ryu had used paint.net and the techniques of a set background with multiple layers of each same photo in the same position, but different positioning of the person and action. The use of eraser tool was effective alongside the mover arrows to place the figures into one photo. This creates the illusion of a paradox that three figures are exactly the same person but seen present throughout every shot representing multiple characters.

14th November 2016

Coursework: Conventions of Thrillers Presentation

13th November 2016

Course Work Ideas: Original Thriller Trailer Composition

So recently, after much consideration and thought, I've decided to get thinking on more of the technical side and how it will build the mood in my thriller trailer. The idea was basically to summon some sort of "presence" that is constantly present, which is the G pedal note in quavers throughout the piece. Then, with that unwanted presence, more layers of melody will start to build and escalate into something more of a "structured mess". 

With a go for an original composition below, I am quite satisfied with it in building a scale of mood that would be beneficial to my image of my thriller trailer. Have a listen!

11th November 2016

ZODIAC (2007)

Director: David Fincher

Actors: Mark Ruffalo, Jake Gyllenhall, Rober Downey Jr.

Genre: Psychological Crime Thriller

Narrative Range

Unrestricted

Audience knows more and sees more than the characters.

• The killings
• The victims
• The killer is never caught
• 1968 - 1990

Restricted

The characters and the audience learn the story at the same time.

• Details of the case
• Arthur Leigh Allen became a suspect
• Has complicated the investigation

15th October 2016

Another Theory of Narrative

Roland "Laundry truck" Barthes

He argued that every narrative is interwoven with multiple codes. Although we impose temporal and generic structures onto texts, there are in fact marked by the multiple meanings suggested by the five codes.

Hermeneutic Code 

Any element of the story that is not fully explained and hence 

becomes a mystery to the audience.

Proairetic Code

 Applies to any other action or event that indicates something

else is going to happen, building tension.

 Semantic Code 

 This refers to the connotation within the story

that gives additional meaning over the basic

denotative meaning of signs.

Symbolic Code 

 Similar to the Semantic one but acts on

a wider level.

Cultural Code

 Any element in the story that relies on the readers'

knowledge and understanding of the world.

13th October 2016

Theory of Narrative

Tzvetan Todorov

• A state of equilibrium
• A disruption of the equilibrium by some action
• A recognition that there has been a disruption
• Dealing with disruption
• A reinstatement of equilibrium 

28th September 2016

Point Break: Sound Mixing

Today, I've tried to mix and edit sounds to the a clip from Point Break. I've never done this before- it took me a while but eventually I've got what I wanted as a final product. I'm just glad it's ok!

26th September 2016

4MCE: Sound

Diegetic Sound

Non- Diegetic Sound

Diegetic Sounds are the sounds that the characters can hear

Gunshots, Scream, Police Siren, Dialogue

Non-Diegetic are the sounds that they cannot hear; added in post-production

Love music, Suspense strings, Soundtrack (OST)

26th September 2016

4MCE: Editing

Order of shots

Duration

26th September 2016

4MCE: Cinematography

Distance and Proximity

Angle

Moving or not?

=

THE MEANING THEY CREATE?

26th September 2016

MICRO-ELEMENTS

CAMERA

SOUND

EDITING

MISE-EN SCENE

26th September 2016

Sound Analysis: Drive

Diegetic Sound What the characters can hear

Non-Diegetic Sound Sounds put in post-production which they cannot hear

Background Music

Creates the mood of being followed and paints the tension gradually as the music gets more layered and louder in the scene.

Police Scanner (we-wo-we-wo)

Gradually louder in the distance. Foreshadows and adds to the tension of the thieves getting caught.

Crickets

Used to emphasize the setting of night to the audience. The crickets not only give the setting but also build the mood and create small suspense. Crickets are normally related to the meaning of isolation, but in this context with the actor "under pressure" and a stressed facial expression, the crickets isolates the actor in the thin line of time and luck. Silence is later used as it is the most effective sound for tension, which prolongs the wait even further.

Breaking In / Out SFX

This is applied when we see the extreme long shot of the robbers breaking out from the shop. Because it is seen from the far point of view of the actor in the car, and a big fence blocking them, this sounds is used to establish that they've broken out, therefore tension is broken and somewhat resolved.

Sports Radio: 4th Quarter

Radio voices of a baseball game building from each base as the heist progresses, is used to mainly support and build tension. The contrast of a lively, loud and cheerful voice of a commenter is said throughout the insecure, silent and risky heist. This not only explicitly tells the audience about the progression of the heist out of "4 bases", but also gives a bit of context about the actor listening to a game in the middle of a heist. By doing this, it shows how the actor is professional and knows what he is doing, as he doesn't seem to panic as much.

22nd September 2016

EVALUATION

Creative Process

How did you find working in a group when it came to:

• Coming up with and deciding on an idea?
• Working together when filming?

Instead of filming right away, we decided to sit down together and plan briefly on a brainstorm and vague notes about the plot. We tried to avoid watching movie clips of bank robberies and heists, as they would distract us to follow them, more than inspire us. 

To create a running pattern of thought, we wrote down words that link towards the idea of a heist. From those words, we tried to develop and extend its meaning and how we can use them in the film.

We had also produced a story board for an idea that we had about a tracking shot on the brief case that seemed a challenge to produce on film.

---

Most of the filming process was majorly improvised and based upon our written plan. We tried to combine ideas of a "successful heist" from our backgrounds- Toy and his experience of seeing heists through video games- Ryu on his thoughts through blockbuster films- and myself on the rhythm they use to approach the attack. 

Throughout the filming production, we called out different shots to cause various effects and build-up for the overall mood. For example, I called out the idea of the "three shots" and tracking shot of the briefcase moving from the safe onto the wooden table. I decided to do this to give the importance to the briefcase. In addition, Ryu had advised me on not showing face and voice, and to include a close up on the bag to give the effect at its fullest. 

Final Product

How do you feel about your film:

• List 2 things that you are particularly pleased with
• List 2 things that you think could be improved

I am pleased about the different shot types and how it is varied during the film. We did not stick to shaky cam or a still shot of a mid-close up. I am particularly pleased about the tracking shot on the brief case, and how all 3 shots were executed quickly and professionally that gives the mood of a well-planned heist.

Another thing that I thought worked well was the order of shots. Although this would be classed more of in the "editing" section rather than the film, I still believe that the order and duration of shots put together was perfect. For example, the shots of the robbers walking up the stairs were filmed thoroughly in many directions and angles, and were placed together at the right time and place. Instead of one shaky over the shoulder shot of the robbers up the stairs, the use of...

1. Still shot on the shoes
2. Tracking 2-shot of the robbers' bodies walking up
3. A still high angle shot at the turn
4. A low angle shot upon the approach at the top
5. Another 2-shot high angle with robbers facing towards camera and then breaking apart 

---

What I felt could be improved was definitely the handling of time management. The irony is that we were doing a project called "1 minute film project", but we ended up with 1 minutes 43 seconds of actual film footage- nearly 2 minutes. We should be more precise in selecting shots to see if they are really needed to create an effect/meaning, or if we could not include it and still maintain the things we want to keep/create.

In addition, I felt like there could be a little more exposition and dialogue to the film. This way, we could also have a 2-shot up the stairs with some exposition for the audience, hence the film's short duration. If they were to be a little more planned and clear dialogue, may be it would make a bit more sense and dramatic.

20th September 2016

THE 1 MINUTE HEIST

The project of creating a 1 minute film of a Heist was successfully published onto YouTube. We took only 1 hour and 15 minutes to plan briefly and film all the parts. Editing took Ryu only a day.

The final product is filmed, edited and published. All thanks to Ryu, my pal. Just by looking at the custom thumbnail I could already recall many great memories of silly out-takes and many, many, many re-takes on the scene where I tell the hostage, Mr Harrison, to "put his hands in the air". 

Ryu's definitely someone I can rely and trust as a great work partner.

May be now's the time to start considering my actual coursework team... all I know is he's down on my first list of people to work with.

19th September 2016

THE 1 MINUTE FILM PROJECT

Today, we were assigned a task- more of a fun project- to produce a 1 minute film of a chosen topic from 3 types. Heist, Interrogation, and to recreate a film. My group and I chose to make a Heist as it seemed exciting and we were full of ideas. 

Toy was the absolute guy to work with when doing this kind of stuff- not only do you get the interesting information of guns and how to use them, but also the meaning and feeling behind holding each one. Another great addition to this dream team is Ryu, who is preferred as cameraman and editor.

We've finished the filming since Tuesday's lesson. Saw Ryu's finished product on Premiere today. It looks very promising indeed.